


As You Like It

by idra



Category: Metallica
Genre: M/M, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 12:14:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7573672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idra/pseuds/idra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four times Kirk might have secretly wished Rob was Jase and one time he didn't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As You Like It

**Author's Note:**

> Written a while ago for a friend who requested the summary.  
> Each title for the four things + 1 is from the Shakespearean play, As You Like It, which gave it's name to the title of the story.

**_And so he plays his part_ **

1\. **All the world's a stage**

There are times when Kirk will look over and fully expect to see red hair headbanging next to James. The growl that comes out of the man standing there is less forced and more natural, but it doesn't change the fact that seeing braids swinging through the air and that cocky grin instead of the sweet smile throws Kirk for a loop. Not enough to throw him out of the music-- it would have to be Cliff standing there to make Kirk forget the music. 

Rob will smile and do his weird crab crawl thing across the stage and Kirk misses the red hair and bouncy energy that so enraged Hetfield and Ulrich. He knows they're better off with Rob. Jason wanted too much too soon and tended to be as pissy as Het if he didn't get his way, but those times... 

After the show Kirk will head into the showers and want nothing more than to cry his eyes out for missing his best friend. But then the other guys will come in, James and Lars arguing and swearing as usual, but more playful than when Jason was with them and Rob will wink at Kirk and the world rights itself. He can't help but smile and enjoy the fact that his family feels right again and for that he feels guilty.

2\. **All the men merely players**

The band does more together now, from surfing to horseback riding to biking, depending on whose day it is to pick an activity. But when they go out on the water or down the bike trails of San Francisco, Kirk misses the fact that Jason's not there to encourage him. 

James and Rob are the more outgoing of the four of them when it comes to outdoors and they'll just go ahead, leaving Kirk stuck with Lars who bitches and whines and complains until Kirk yells at him to shut up. It doesn't seem to matter to Lars that Kirk's no happier than he is. Of course, Kirk knows that Lars honestly just likes to complain for the sake of complaining. It's nothing to do with actually being upset or put out. 

But even that makes him miss Jase. Jason would've just given Lars that look that never failed to make Lars squirm. Lars would stop his complaining and go about his business quietly for the next little while until he'd had enough of the not talking and start all over again. Rob just slaps Lars on the back and takes off with James. 

3\. **They have their exits and their entrances**

He knows he'll never get over the way Jason left them. He'd loved Jason and Jason had just left. Yes, they'd had their issues-- both as a couple and as a band, but Jason had to know that no matter how he felt about him personally, he couldn't leave the band. They were his family. More than just friends, they were his life. 

Jason understood that to a degree, but sometimes, he thinks Rob understands it even less. Maybe because Rob had played with so many different bands and hadn't tried as hard to please them. He hadn't had to though. Jason had gone out of his way to be friends with James and Lars and Kirk.

He resents Rob, he realizes, because Rob had fit so easily with them and he'd wanted that for Jason. Now he knows that he'll never get that back. He and Jase have remained friends, but he can't have his lover back. Too many harsh words were said too publicly. But it doesn't change that Kirk doesn't want Rob to fit in where Jason couldn't. 

4\. **One man in his time plays many parts**

When Jason had been in the band, he'd tried to be everything to everyone. He'd been James' punching bag and Lars' ear and Kirk's lover. But he'd worn himself out and Kirk had hated watched Jason taking punches he knew Jason didn't deserve. Not that he'd ever tried to stop it, but it still bothered him.

Rob doesn't try to be everything to everyone. He just is. He is James and Lars' best friend. He's Lars' ear and James' workout partner. He's Kirk's ear and he manages somehow to be everything to everyone without losing any of himself while he's at it. But even while he's listening to Kirk bitch about something or other, Kirk can't help but want his old friend back. Jason hadn't been as comforting or as good at actually following Kirk's sometimes crazy ramblings, but he'd been there for so much that Rob doesn't get.

5\. **His act being seven ages**

The best thing about Rob though is that Kirk fits in his arms. When Rob holds him, he doesn't feel like he's with someone who's his equal. It's in his nature to want to be protected-- Jason had always teased him about it, calling him Mama's boy and other names-- and Rob does that. 

Rob will hold him close and the feel of those strong, toned arms around Kirk's waist will make him almost forget that Jason ever existed. It's when Rob's holding him that he doesn't care that Rob took Jason's place in nearly every way possible. In the band, in Kirk's bed, in Lars' confidante, in James' friendship. Kirk doesn't care about that and he doesn't care that Rob is better for them than Jason was. All he cares about is being loved and cherished and that's all that matters to him. 

_the end_


End file.
